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| Federal Funds and Services Available to Help Seafood Firms Develop Foreign Markets | | 11/12/2009 12:14:00 PM | Email this article • Print this article | On Wednesday, Food Export-Northeast announced the availability of 2010 cost-share assistance funding, through its "Branded Program," for seafood firms to promote their products to foreign markets.
Food Export-Northeast - a nonprofit organization composed of 10 Northeastern state agricultural promotion agencies that use federal, state and industry resources to help companies increase product sales overseas - manages USDA Market Access Program (MAP) funds for the region's seafood industry. It is encouraging seafood firms currently utilizing the Branded Program to submit their 2010 marketing plans now.
It is also encouraging seafood and aquaculture firms that are considering export development to become aware of the range of foreign market development opportunities and assistance programs that are available to support their efforts.
Through its Branded Program, Food Export-Northeast offers reimbursement for eligible costs associated with a company's efforts to promote their own fish and shellfish products in foreign markets. Examples of eligible expenses are trade show expenses (including travel), advertising, product demonstrations, the shipping of samples and the costs necessary to change product labels or packaging.
Food Export-Northeast conducts seafood industry-specific initiatives that are designed to boost foreign market awareness of the region's major seafood products, and the organization coordinates opportunities for seafood and aquaculture firms to meet face-to-face with foreign buyers.
Each year, Food Export-Northeast coordinates a large pavilion of Northeast seafood companies at the world's largest seafood show, the European Seafood Exposition. The organization also brings foreign buyers from across the globe to Boston for a Seafood Buyers Mission that is held in conjunction with the International Boston Seafood Show.
Seafood producers can request one-on-one meetings with qualified foreign buyers who have been vetted for their interest in purchases of Northeast seafood products.
Food Export-Northeast offers a wide range of services for companies considering export as well as for seasoned exporters. The organization has a helpline, where a food industry expert provides customized assistance with activities like assessing export readiness, gathering secondary market research, preparing for trade events, preparing documentation, and understanding trade agreement rules and regulations. Exporters also have access to the Market Builder Program, where they receive help in analyzing the distribution and competitiveness of their products, finding the strengths and weaknesses in import processes, and locating distributors.
Through Food Export-Northeast, seafood exporters can participate in Focused Trade Missions to other countries where they meet foreign buyers and learn more about the markets. The missions provide market analyses to the U.S. firms before the trip, and while in the foreign country firms may receive market briefings and industry tours.
The organization's Food Show PLUS! services are available for many overseas trade shows. This program provides exporters with information about competing products in the market and provides interpreter assistance, and company marketing materials are translated into the local language. Also included may be meetings with potential buyers, tours of the local food industry, and pre-show seminars that reveal the nuances of the local markets.
Portland Processing LLC (dba Claw Island Foods), located in Portland, has utilized MAP-funded programs and services over the past nine years to develop and expand international sales of Maine lobster, jonah crab and coldwater shrimp. Claw Island has participated in seminars, European Seafood Expositions, Seafood Buyers Missions at the International Boston Seafood Show and the 2009 Gulfood Show, in Dubai, where they had the opportunity to meet prequalified international buyers interested in their products. Sales and marketing director Emily Lane says, "As a small business with a limited marketing budget, the benefits of this program are huge. Our export sales have steadily increased over the past nine years from 5 percent to 40 percent of our total sales."
Claw Island is currently exporting to over 20 countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. "In this time of economic challenges, and stagnation in the U.S. market, it is critical that companies such as ours receive financial assistance to remain competitive in the global marketplace and to have access to those markets." Claw Island's processor and sister company, Portland Shellfish, employs over 200 workers; purchases over four million pounds of Maine lobster, six million pounds of jonah crab and one million pounds of coldwater shrimp annually; and runs two processing facilities in the Portland area.
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